Table top



May 22, 1934. P. M. FRIEDLANDER 7 59,950

TABLE TOP Filed June 10, 1932 INVENTOR ATTORNEY table of the character Patented May 22, 1934 TABLE T0? Philip M. Friedlan'der, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Bertha Friedlander,

New York, N. Y.

Application June 10, 1932, Serial No. 616,384

5 Claims.

My invention relates to an improved folding table; that is, a table the legs of which are adapted to fold up in close relation tothe top in order that it may be stored away in compact form. Tables of this kind are used by card players and for many purposes where it is desired to have a small, light table for temporary use and which can be folded up and stored in compact form when not in use.

One object of the invention is to provide a described which will be strong and durable and which may, notwithstanding, be made at a very reasonable cost. Another object is to provide a table of this char- 4 acter which will be substantially firm and steady when set up for use.

Another object is to provide a table of the character described, the legs of which may be quickly opened up into operative position and which may be easily moved into folded position, together with convenient spring means for holding the legs folded up close to the table top and which will, serve to brace the legs and hold them steadily in their extended or operative position. Another object is to simplify the construction of the table top. The table top is of the covered type, that is to say, the major portion of the top of the table is covered with a pliable material such as oilcloth, felt or any of the other covering materials commonly used. The top of the table is made preferably of a single piece of material such as a plain board or veneer out of which the central portion is sawn, leaving an outer ring or marginal member of rectangular or other shape which is to form the marginal portion of the finished top of the table.

The central portion or interior member which is removed from the complete board is temporarily removed and the covering material is spread across it and then this inner member with the covering material thereon is reinserted into position within the marginal member; or, in other words, it is returned to the position from which it was removed. The saw cut eliminates a small quantity of the material of the board when the inner member is cut from the marginal member and this saw cut removes just about the correct amount of material to provide the space be-- tween the inner member and the marginal member for the pliable covering material to be passed between the inner and marginal members so that the covering material may be folded back under the bottom surface of the inner member of the table top.

A frame built up of strips of straight or other shaped members having mitred joints at the corners, is attached below the table top so that it covers the slot between the inner and marginal members of the table top and anchors the folded bottom edge of the covering material. This frame is screwed or otherwise attached to the under side of the table top and it forms the. stiffening portion of the structure and the means to which the hinged legs are attached. I

The method covered by the present application relates to the formation of the table top and it broadly consists of sawing an inner section from a board to form an inner member which is de tachable from the outer or marginal member, covering the inner member and returning it to its original position within the marginal member.

Other features and advantages will be set forth in the following detailed description of my invention.

. In the drawing forming part of this application,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a table embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line- 4-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but with the legs in folded position,

Figure 6 is an inverted plan view of the table with the legs in folded position,

Figure 'l is a sectional View taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6, and

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 6. p

I will first describe the table top forming part of my invention. The top may be made of plain board or it may be made of multi-ply veneer board. The latter is preferred because there is less tendency. for the top to warp and to' split and it permits the top to be made from one piece of stock. As far as the present invention is con-. cerned, the top may be made of single-ply board or multi-ply veneer.

In preparing the table top I require a board of sufficient dimensions to form the complete top of the table and this is cut in the desired shape. In the drawing I have shown the table top as of rectangular shape with the several corners rounded as at 1, although it will be apparent that it is not necessary to my invention that the corners be rounded; nor is it necessary that the table top be of rectangular shape. This board is cut to provide a removable center member or inside 110 view on the line 2-2 member 2 which may be separated from the outer or marginal member. In the construction shown in the drawing the board is sawn through on the lines 3, which lines are shown as outlining a rectangle; and I have shown these lines as extending parallel with the several outer edges 4 of the full size board.

When the board is sawn through on the four rectangular lines it will be divided into two sep arable sections. One of these, indicated at 5, is in the form of a rectangular frame, except for the rounded corners l and this forms the marginal or outer member of the table top. This member is preferably of one piece of stock, so that the rectangular marginal member requires no mitred joints at the corners and therefore no seams or joints which might provide edges against which objects might strike and therefore this marginal member has a smooth, even top surface throughout.

The cutting of the board of which the top is formed along the lines 3 creates a detachable inner member 2 which in the drawing is shown square in shape'and the outer edgesof this member'will'conform with the inner edges of the marginal member ,5 and its dimensions will corre spondwith the inner dimensions of the marginal member except for the'material which is removed by the saw in making the out. The part which is removed by the saw out forms a space substantially the "thickness of the saw which will usually be a fraction of an inch.

The section 2 which is thus removed from the complete board is then covered with the top or covering fabric usually employed on tables of this character. I have shown a sheet of coveringmaterial 6 which may be oilcloth, leather, or any other type of fabric, and it is preferred to use a sheet of padding underlying the cover-- ing material in accordance with common prac tice. This under lining 7 is applied to the top surface of the member 2 and the sheet of coveringmaterial is then placed over the lining material and is smoothed out so that it completely andsmoothly covers the 'top surface of the memher 2.

This covering material is of sufficient size "to entirely .cover the top surface of the member 2 and of such additional proportions that the four edges may be turned down against the several outer edges of the member 2 and thence folded under the under surface of this member, as indicated at 8. When the covering'material has thus been applied to the member 2 the latter, with the covering material, is inserted into the rectangular opening in the marginal member 5 from which the :inner member was originally severed by the saw cuts, so that the inner member seats within the opening 9 of the marginal member with the turned down portions of the covering material extending through the slots 10 between the inner top member and the marginal top member as s'hownin Figures 3, 4 .and 5 of the drawing.

The frame or under structure may now be applied to the under side of the complete top and be secured thereto. The frame, as shown in the drawing, preferably consists of the four strips 11 which are shown as made of wood, although any other material may be employed; and the major portions of these strips are of L shape in cross section, as showninFigure '7, having two webs 12, 13 angularly disposed, the web 13 being adapted to lie fiat against the under side of the table top with the web 13 extending at right angles thereto and serving-to stiffen the strip. These four strips are connected together into a rectangular frame and they are connected to each other by mitred joints 14 at the four corners of the rectangle. The rectangular frame formed of theseveralstrips 11 is of such proportions that when the frame is placed against the under side of the table top the first webs 12 of the several strips will extend across the joint between the meeting edges of the inner top member 2 and the marginal top member 5 as clearly shown in Figure 7.

These strips will therefore rest against and grip the portion 8 of the covering material which extends through the slots 10 between the inner and outer top members and which is turned inwardly against the under surface of the member '2 as shown in Figure 7. Screws or other attaching members 15 are passed through the web 12 of the several strips or bars 11 and into the material of both the marginal member 5 and the inner member 2 of the top to firmly secure both members of the top to the frame. When the frame is thus attached to the top it serves to stiffen the latter as well as to firmly secure the inner and marginal members of the top together and also to clamp the covering material to hold the latter from being displaced.

Preferably, the strips or bars 11 are cutso that the corners which are joined to each other are of the full depth or thickness of the stock from which they are made, as indicated at '16 in the drawing. These corner portions of the frame are cut out to form rectangular recesses 17 as shown in Figure 6, toreceive one end of each of the foldable legs so that each leg is pivotally mounted with one end swinging in the rectangu'lar recesses 17 of the frame. At each corner of the frame there is a hinge member or bar 18 which passes through a lateral aperture in one end of each leg, and the hinge member extends laterally beyond the leg and projects into corresponding apertures 19 in the adjacent "portions of the bars 11. It will 'be apparent that the legs-and their hinge members are assembled at the same time the mitred joints 14 are made between adjacent or connecting bars 1-1 in order to permit the hinge member "to be assembled in the apertures 19.

The several legs are arranged to hinge from the several corners of the frame in the manner shown in Figure 6. The several legs 20, 21,22,

23 are shown as formed of flat stock, although they may beround or any other shape.

In the .drawing they are shown tapered in width and are slightly offset in their angular positions so that the two legs which are diagonally opposite each other, such as the legs .20, 21 in Figure 6, may be folded up parallel with the under side of the table top to lie in a common plane. The other and diagonally opposite legs 22, 23 are so positioned that they maybe folded into a common plane which plane is just under the plane occupied by the'legs 20,21. This permits the legs to be folded in compact shape, notwithstanding that there are four .legs crossing each other adjacent the center of the table.

Each leg is provided with a slot 24 out therethrough and extending lengthwise of the leg and preferably in the middle thereof. There is a spring member 25 having one end secured by the screws 26 or other means to the under side of the inner top member 2; and these spring arms are bent to extend as shown at 27 through the aperture 24 of each leg and the free end of each spring member is shown as turned or bent at 28 and this bent end is provided with an its ' quick operation and requires no special machinaperture 29. The spring arms are of sufficient tween the inner and outer top members just length to cause them as shown in Figure 6, to suitable for the covering material to pass therepass through the slots 24 of the legs and to through so that when the inner member with the extend across the hinged end of the leg. These covering material are inserted into the opening arms are preferably made of spring metal and of the marginal member the parts fit snugly are so designed that when the legs are in the together. The frame members overlying the folded position shown in Figure 6, the portions joint between the inner and outer top memof the arms which emerge from the slots 24 of bers maintains the latter in proper alignment the legs press against the under sides of the and also secures them firmly to the frame to legs to press the latter toward the bottom of preserve the alignment of the top. In the full the table top. The legs 20, 21 will therefore be combination of my invention the frame also held against the underside of the table top and serves to clamp the under edges of the covering the legs 22, 23 will be held pressed against the material the same time that the frame is atlegs 20, 21. When in this condition the table may tached to the under side of the top.

be carried about with the legs snugly held by Having described my invention, what I claim the several spring arms to prevent rattling and is:

prevent the legs from unfolding. 1. A table including a top composed of an an- At the bottom edge of each opening 24 of the nular marginal member, an inner member and legs I have shown a pin 30 projecting in the a covering on said inner member, said inner direction of the leg and this pin is adapted to member and its cover being inserted into the 5 engage in the aperture 29 of the spring arm when inner Space in Said annular member, Said the legs are in extended or open position. firing ma erially bein ned c On the 1111- Assuming that the table is in the folded posider side of said top, a frame attached to he tion shown in Figure 6, all that is necessary to def Side Of Said table p, Said frame eXtending pen or extend the table for use is to. first wing across the meeting line of said inner and outer the legs downwardly positions at right angles table members and engaging against both said to the table and during this movement the table members and clamping the turned under bottom edges 31 f the Slots 24 in the legs press portion of said covering material, said frame bedownwardly on the spring arms, increasing their mg secured 9 tension, and when the legs are perpendicular to A table lncllldmg a top composed of an anthe table top, the pins 29 will enter the apertures hular marginal h h ah ihher h Said 30 of the spring arms. The spring arms are then h h member bemg Inserted 111 the lhhel Space hd held the latter in said annular member, a frame for the under locked to the table legs a idly in the manner of a bracket or brace, that side of said table top, said frame extending across the legs remain perpendicular t0 the table the meeting line of said inner and outer table The operator need give no attention to the lock-- members and engagmg agams? h Sald table ing of the pins 29 in the apertures 30 because this members means for Secunhg 3 frame to takes place automatically when the leg is in the both said top m lower position 3. In a table including a top composed of a When all four legs have been moved into op- Jomtless, anhulagr h an inner 115 erative position, they are firmly and rigidly held. membeh 1 covenhg materlal 0n Sald Inner mem- The hinge pins 153 secure one end of each leg ber, said inner member and its cover being into the fra e and the side edges of the reetam serted into the inner space in said annular memgular openings 17 of the frame prevent lateral ber whereby the covering material is engaged besway of the legs whereas the Spring arms engag tween the outer edges of the inner member and ing the pins 29 prevent the legs from swinging the lhher edges the annular mber and a on their hinges While S010eked frame attached to said annular and said inner To fold up the table after use, the operator top membersmerely presses on the projecting ends 28 of the A table mchldmg a P P Composed of a recseveral spring arms sufficiently to disengage them tangular ahhulah margmal member an inner from the pins 29 at the same time swinging the m m flonfolmmg t0 e shape of the openlegs radially inwardly. When the legs have been h' In said 9111111119)! member, a 00Ve11ng 0n Said swung partly inwardly the Spring arms, pressing inner member, said mner member and its covering being inserted into the space in said anagainst the outer sides of the several legs, will cause them to fold up under the table top, as nular member Sald covenhg mammal belhg Bil turned back on the under side of said top. a

shown in Figure 6.

From the above it will be apparent that I have rectahgular frame attache? to the hhder slde provided a foldable table of substantial conof Saldtajhle h and Y h extehdlhg across Struetien which may nevertheless be made at the meeting lines of said inner and outer top members and engaging against both said table relatively low manufacturing cost. As the table top is made of one piece f stock it is uhheees members and, means for securing said frame to sary to mitre any portion of it. The operation both top membersof sawing out the board from which the inner The method of maklhg covered table tops and marginal top members are formed is a very which cohsists of Sawing Single hoard 9 move an inner member and to provide a Jointless, annular, marginal member covering said incular saw. By avoiding mitred corners in the her top member and replacing said inner top table top there are no rough edges and the to member with its covering material into the openas a whole is therefore smoother than one built ing in Said marginal member with the covering up of mitred the board of which the top is made removes the Said inner and outer top membersright quantity of material to leave a crack be- PHILIP FRIEDLANDER- ery as this may be done with an ordinary cirpieces, The Saw which t out material extending through the crack between 

